


Yellow Carnations

by biscuitsandgravy



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-30
Updated: 2016-06-30
Packaged: 2018-07-19 03:22:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7342624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/biscuitsandgravy/pseuds/biscuitsandgravy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU where Rin's family owns a florist. Rei comes in with an unusual request.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Yellow Carnations

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a tumblr post about how to say "fuck you" with flowers.

As long as Rin can remember, he’s been surrounded by flowers. It’s a good thing he enjoys the way they look and smell, because his family’s flower shop is where he’s worked every school break since middle school. When he went away to college, he hoped his mother would be merciful and let him find work elsewhere (or let him stay at home and sleep), but considering how hard she laughed when he brought it up, Rin resigned himself to cutting stems and color-coordinating bouquets until he moves out.

 

But then graduation came and went, and Rin’s home for good until he gets a different job. Florist shop it is, then. It’s not especially difficult, and Rin’s always secretly enjoyed arranging flowers, but his mom and sister always make him do the heavy lifting. And somehow he always ends up with flower petals stuck to him.

 

To make matters worse, Gou, Rin’s sister, had somehow managed to find a way out of work for the day. It’s usually Gou dealing with customers while Rin runs around the shop all day, making sure the flowers are in good condition, sweeping the floors, and fulfilling orders. Mostly because whenever Rin has to work the counter, it never seems to go well ( _Maybe it’s your teeth_ , Gou had the audacity to suggest once).

 

Today, Rin’s mother has to do a consultation at a wedding venue across town and Gou’s doing whatever it is she used as her excuse (probably something super important, like a massage). And that leaves Rin by himself. 

 

The morning is slow. A few customers come in, mostly to pick up prepaid orders. Rin almost commits homicide when a teenager who’s looking for a birthday bouquet for his mother somehow knocks over an entire shelf of potted violets. But for the most part, it’s smooth sailing.

 

Around 4, a man who seems to be near Rin’s age walks in. Rin greets him unenthusiastically and the man responds vaguely. It’s perfectly fine with Rin- the less customer interaction, the better. This guy is the only one in the shop and Rin’s content to let him browse around while Rin sweeps the remainder of the dirt from the messy customer earlier.

 

After several minutes, Rin realizes this guy has just been standing still, staring at his phone.  “…Can I help you find anything?” Rin asks hesitantly. The guy startles a little, he must have been pretty absorbed in whatever he was looking up.

 

“I’m here for some flowers,” the guy says unhelpfully.

 

“Okay, well, I can help you if you tell me what you’re looking for…?”

 

“Ryugazaki Rei,” the guy answers. 

 

“Okay, Ryugazaki-san, tell me what you’re looking for,” Rin says. He feels immensely awkward, addressing someone so close to his age in such a formal way.

 

“…I will be honest,” he starts. Good, that sounds promising. “I have to get flowers for someone I despise. Can you help, uh,” he looks at Rin’s nametag. “Matsuoka-san?”

 

Rin stares blankly at him for a minute. “That’s an unusual request,” he admits.

 

Rei sighs and waves his hand. “Yes, well, it's very political. And if I don’t get anything at all it will reflect poorly on me.”

 

“Care to give me a little more information?” Rin pries. He doesn’t actually need context, but this has the potential to be interesting.

 

“It’s my coworker. She received an award that, quite frankly, should have gone to literally anyone else in our department,” Rei says. He’s rubbing his forehead as if it pains him to discuss it.

 

“You mean, like you?” Rin smirks.

 

“Not necessarily! I’m so junior at my company, I wouldn’t expect to be the recipient of any sort of award yet-“ Rei explains earnestly.

 

“Don’t worry, I was just teasing,” Rin says.

 

“Oh,” Rei looks like he had more to say. “Anyway, I’m responsible for buying a gift on behalf of my department. I considered a cactus. However, I was concerned that sending such a barren plant would make my feelings too plain.”

 

“Cactus flowers can be beautiful,” Rin says. “But, I get what you’re saying. I think I can help.” 

 

Rin leads Rei through the aisles of the shop, picking various stems as he goes. Rei wants to question his choices, but decides that Rin, despite his appearance, probably knows more about flowers. 

 

They approach the counter of the shop and Rin begins trimming the bottom of each stem. “Before I start arranging these, you need to pick a vase,” Rin says as he jabs his thumb behind him, where vases of various sizes and colors sit on a shelf. “You can’t go wrong with the clear ones, but-“

 

“Based on the plants you have picked, I would prefer the yellow one,” Rei cuts him off.

 

Laughing, Rin grabs the one he requested. “Can’t give someone a bouquet to represent your bitterness in a vase that doesn’t match, I guess.”

 

Rei wants to protest, but he notices that Rin is smiling at him in such a way that shows off some very sharp teeth. 

 

As Rin begins arranging the stems in the vase, Rei watches, curious. He wants to ask questions, but he doesn’t want to interrupt Rin. Despite his casual demeanor from earlier, he now seems focused and businesslike.

 

It doesn’t take long for Rin to arrange everything. He makes a few adjustments, then pushes the vase towards Rei. “What do you think? Want me to change anything?”

 

“It looks appealing, I suppose,” Rei muses. “But I don’t understand your choices, Matsuoka-san.”

 

“Ever heard about the language of flowers? I studied it when I was younger, it makes working here a little more interesting when you know how to say things with the plants,” Rin says. “I picked everything based on what you told me. Basil-“ he pulls a green leaf “-stands for hatred. Meadowsweet means uselessness. Whin is for anger. Agnus castus is coldness. The yellow carnations mean disdain. And this reed I used as an accent symbolizes frankness.”

 

“What does ‘frankness’ have to do with the rest of the meanings?” Rei asks.

 

“You know, like you’re saying, ‘look, I’m going to be honest with you, you suck’ with all of this,” Rin says. Rei cackles wildly.

 

“That’s brilliant, Matsuoka-san. It’s perfect,” Rei says. He gets ready to pay for his arrangement.

 

“You’ll have to stop by again and tell me how it worked,” Rin says slyly.

 

“I will,” Rei promises as he gathers his change. “Thanks for your help.”

 

Rin can’t tell if Rei is blushing, or if it’s the sunset coming in through the windows. He does know, however, that he’s hoping his new customer will someday be a regular.

**Author's Note:**

> I used a copy of The Language of Flowers for the meanings, fun fact: you can use flowers to say anything! I considered going on and adding, you know, actual romance but I didn't think it would fit. But I still kind of want to. Rinrei 4 lyfe.


End file.
